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geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: tbc on Wed, 18 March 2015, 04:12:16

Title: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: tbc on Wed, 18 March 2015, 04:12:16
we already have a what is your job thread...but i didn't notice a 'what is your dream job' thread.

anyone care to share their dream job?(even if it's your current job ;) )  i think it'd also be helpful to share what you do now or are training for in the near future, but share as much or as little as you care to.

At the moment, I'm pretty firmly into programming and happy doing it, specifically web prgramming.  If I were to do my dream job though, i'd want something to do with healthcare.  I'm honestly not too sure what kinda jobs actually exist, but a job spent partly in the lab and the rest of the time meeting patients would be great.  I'm quite attuned to research type work, but meeting patients would make me feel more fulfilled.


your turn.  be as realistic or as optimistic as you want.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: rowdy on Wed, 18 March 2015, 05:06:40
I wish I'd done something really novel and interesting when I was younger, made more money than I could spend, and were now retired.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: SpAmRaY on Wed, 18 March 2015, 06:18:36
I'd settle for being a millionaire.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: bueller on Wed, 18 March 2015, 06:21:12
Spent over a decade doing jobs I hated and in the last 18 months I've been transitioning into programming for a living. Still have bad days but I have a lot of freedom to get things done my way and it's really cool working with smart people who have similar interests to myself. Very happy, don't think I'll be moving any time soon.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: vivalarevolución on Wed, 18 March 2015, 06:49:52

Retired.  Really, there is no better feeling to me than waking up in the morning without an obligation on my mind.

Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: PunksDead on Wed, 18 March 2015, 07:08:41
I wish i could make a living doing art/graphical design work from home, a modest living. I dont want to be rich, just enough to own a small home and a ****ton of cats
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: GL1TCH3D on Wed, 18 March 2015, 07:32:56
I wish I could be an engineer. Or researcher.

Most of the people in my university business classes are brain dead idiots and I feel like most jobs in this field are just going to be mind numbingly boring and dull comprised mainly of meetings of idiots trying to impress each other.

I like analyzing / creating.

Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: katushkin on Wed, 18 March 2015, 07:34:11
I wish I was an F1 driver.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: GenKaan on Wed, 18 March 2015, 08:02:46

Retired.  Really, there is no better feeling to me than waking up in the morning without an obligation on my mind.



1000% this, just go around helping people and taking it easy. Only like 30-35 more years FML my life
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: JPG on Wed, 18 March 2015, 08:04:02
I like to try things and would get bored of anything I do, but as of now I would like to be a blacksmith (mostly making knifes and swords) and/or work with wood.


But I plan to do it in the years to come when I can save up some money for this kind of hobby. And I also think that having this as a hobby will let me make the things I dream of instead of the things customers would want, which is the problem of having this kind of job.


I would also like to design cars.


Yup, being rich would help to have these kind of hobbies!
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: Oobly on Wed, 18 March 2015, 08:17:18
Inventor / mad scientist with a well equipped lab, well equipped workshop, well equipped secretary and a large, talented staff... ur... um, I mean wife and support crew.

I'd love to have the freedom to develop ideas / machines / gadgets for practically any field, with enough support (both financial and people) to help take them from prototype to product. Sort of a cross-discipline research and development thinktank of one. My mind is overactive and I've come up with concepts for all sorts of stuff I just don't have the time / funds / support staff to develop to completion. I'm good at coming up with the concept, developing it into a device and building a functional prototype for others to take further, if it's a product that has a market. I don't really want to work for any one company, since they're usually limited to a particular field.

Oh, and making custom electric guitars, cars, motorbikes and other things that take my fancy. I want to learn to gas weld.

"System Engineer" is my current job title, though. Mostly SQL / C# programming / MVC web development. Not very satisfied with it, TBH, but it pays the bills for now. Hoping to start the process of transition by making and selling some keyboards that I think there's a market for (truly portable mechanical, well-designed and affordable ergonomic board, etc.) ;)
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: Findecanor on Wed, 18 March 2015, 08:32:23
When I was younger I wanted to develop some novel new tech product that would change the world. My heroes were people like Steve Jobs (the PC revolution!), John Carmack (lead programmer on Doom, Quake games) and Linus Thorvalds (creator of Linux).
I fantasised about overhearing random people speak in a positive manner about a product I had been working on.
I've had the latter... but I hated that job and was not happy about the product or how the company treated its customers.

Right now, I want a job which I can enjoy, where we don't exploit people and I don't feel exploited. Something that gives me a good salary and which does not feel like I'm stuck at a dead-end.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: bueller on Wed, 18 March 2015, 08:43:58
Inventor / mad scientist with a well equipped lab, well equipped workshop, well equipped secretary and a large, talented staff... ur... um, I mean wife and support crew.

I'd love to have the freedom to develop ideas / machines / gadgets for practically any field, with enough support (both financial and people) to help take them from prototype to product. Sort of a cross-discipline research and development thinktank of one. My mind is overactive and I've come up with concepts for all sorts of stuff I just don't have the time / funds / support staff to develop to completion. I'm good at coming up with the concept, developing it into a device and building a functional prototype for others to take further, if it's a product that has a market. I don't really want to work for any one company, since they're usually limited to a particular field.

Oh, and making custom electric guitars, cars, motorbikes and other things that take my fancy. I want to learn to gas weld.

"System Engineer" is my current job title, though. Mostly SQL / C# programming / MVC web development. Not very satisfied with it, TBH, but it pays the bills for now. Hoping to start the process of transition by making and selling some keyboards that I think there's a market for (truly portable mechanical, well-designed and affordable ergonomic board, etc.) ;)

I very much want to do that sort of thing in my spare time. If money wasn't an issue I'd have a garage with full 3D printer, CNC mill and woodworking corner. I love building stuff but its not cheap getting set up, still limited to hand tools at the moment and I don't really have anywhere to set up permanently anyway.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: phoenix1234 on Wed, 18 March 2015, 08:56:05
I wish I'd done something really novel and interesting when I was younger, made more money than I could spend, and were now retired.
Man, this is a God wish. You are just twenty-something  :p
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: Joey Quinn on Wed, 18 March 2015, 09:26:50
Race engineer for a Formula 1 team, I'd prefer Redbull or McLaren.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: iri on Wed, 18 March 2015, 09:56:12
When I was younger I wanted to develop some novel new tech product that would change the world. My heroes were people like Steve Jobs (the PC revolution!), John Carmack (lead programmer on Doom, Quake games) and Linus Thorvalds (creator of Linux).
I fantasised about overhearing random people speak in a positive manner about a product I had been working on.
I've had the latter... but I hated that job and was not happy about the product or how the company treated its customers.

Right now, I want a job which I can enjoy, where we don't exploit people and I don't feel exploited. Something that gives me a good salary and which does not feel like I'm stuck at a dead-end.
i'm living your dream.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: paicrai on Wed, 18 March 2015, 09:56:50
something i can have fun doing or else it's not worth it imo
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: ghostjuggernaut on Wed, 18 March 2015, 10:38:20
I wish I was an engineer at Google X. This is still my dream, and I won't stop trying until I'm dead.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: ApocalypseMaow on Wed, 18 March 2015, 10:44:00
I wish i could make a living doing art/graphical design work from home, a modest living. I dont want to be rich, just enough to own a small home and a ****ton of cats
Amen
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: HoffmanMyster on Wed, 18 March 2015, 10:56:37
I'm currently a process engineer at a flexible packaging manufacturer, and quite happy with it. 

I would love to work at a brewery (Brewmaster), preferably one that I will have founded.   ^-^   
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: vivalarevolución on Wed, 18 March 2015, 11:14:18

Retired.  Really, there is no better feeling to me than waking up in the morning without an obligation on my mind.


1000% this, just go around helping people and taking it easy. Only like 30-35 more years FML my life

For me, it's actually more about control over what I do with my time, so I can focus more on matters that I view as beneficial towards individuals and the community, but not valued much by capitalist society, rather than having to do certain things to make a living.

I wish I could be an engineer. Or researcher.

Most of the people in my university business classes are brain dead idiots and I feel like most jobs in this field are just going to be mind numbingly boring and dull comprised mainly of meetings of idiots trying to impress each other.

I like analyzing / creating.


If you're still in university, you can change your major.  Trust me, if you already know there is something you would rather be doing than what you're studying now, make the change and take the hit now rather than have to switch gears later.  If what you are experiencing now does not interest you, it will not interest you later.

Inventor / mad scientist with a well equipped lab, well equipped workshop, well equipped secretary and a large, talented staff... ur... um, I mean wife and support crew.

I'd love to have the freedom to develop ideas / machines / gadgets for practically any field, with enough support (both financial and people) to help take them from prototype to product. Sort of a cross-discipline research and development thinktank of one. My mind is overactive and I've come up with concepts for all sorts of stuff I just don't have the time / funds / support staff to develop to completion. I'm good at coming up with the concept, developing it into a device and building a functional prototype for others to take further, if it's a product that has a market. I don't really want to work for any one company, since they're usually limited to a particular field.

Oh, and making custom electric guitars, cars, motorbikes and other things that take my fancy. I want to learn to gas weld.


You just described the ideal job for any of us on here with too many ideas, interests, and curiosity.

When I was younger I wanted to develop some novel new tech product that would change the world. My heroes were people like Steve Jobs (the PC revolution!), John Carmack (lead programmer on Doom, Quake games) and Linus Thorvalds (creator of Linux).
I fantasised about overhearing random people speak in a positive manner about a product I had been working on.
I've had the latter... but I hated that job and was not happy about the product or how the company treated its customers.

Right now, I want a job which I can enjoy, where we don't exploit people and I don't feel exploited. Something that gives me a good salary and which does not feel like I'm stuck at a dead-end.

Welcome to the club.  What's your drink of choice?
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: derezzed on Wed, 18 March 2015, 11:19:22
Inventor / mad scientist with a well equipped lab, well equipped workshop, well equipped secretary and a large, talented staff... ur... um, I mean wife and support crew.

I'd love to have the freedom to develop ideas / machines / gadgets for practically any field, with enough support (both financial and people) to help take them from prototype to product. Sort of a cross-discipline research and development thinktank of one. My mind is overactive and I've come up with concepts for all sorts of stuff I just don't have the time / funds / support staff to develop to completion. I'm good at coming up with the concept, developing it into a device and building a functional prototype for others to take further, if it's a product that has a market. I don't really want to work for any one company, since they're usually limited to a particular field.

Oh, and making custom electric guitars, cars, motorbikes and other things that take my fancy. I want to learn to gas weld.

"System Engineer" is my current job title, though. Mostly SQL / C# programming / MVC web development. Not very satisfied with it, TBH, but it pays the bills for now. Hoping to start the process of transition by making and selling some keyboards that I think there's a market for (truly portable mechanical, well-designed and affordable ergonomic board, etc.) ;)

This.  I want to be wealthy enough to operate my own skunkworks at my leisure.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: Joey Quinn on Wed, 18 March 2015, 11:22:41
I'm currently a process engineer at a flexible packaging manufacturer, and quite happy with it. 

I would love to work at a brewery (Brewmaster), preferably one that I will have founded.   ^-^

I'd be down for some HoffmanBrewster IPA.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: vivalarevolución on Wed, 18 March 2015, 11:29:04
I'm currently a process engineer at a flexible packaging manufacturer, and quite happy with it. 

I would love to work at a brewery (Brewmaster), preferably one that I will have founded.   ^-^

Keep working on your beard, and you'll be perfect for the brewmaster job.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: Findecanor on Wed, 18 March 2015, 12:03:59
I'd love to have the freedom to develop ideas / machines / gadgets for practically any field, with enough support (both financial and people) to help take them from prototype to product. Sort of a cross-discipline research and development thinktank of one. My mind is overactive and I've come up with concepts for all sorts of stuff I just don't have the time / funds / support staff to develop to completion. I'm good at coming up with the concept, developing it into a device and building a functional prototype for others to take further, if it's a product that has a market. I don't really want to work for any one company, since they're usually limited to a particular field.
BTW, matt3o has been looking for a partner (http://deskthority.net/off-topic-f10/partner-in-crime-wanted-t10103.html) for some (probably) keyboard-related endeavours.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: baldgye on Wed, 18 March 2015, 12:13:20
product designer
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: nubbinator on Wed, 18 March 2015, 12:17:01
I miss doing photojournalism.  I go into Boston University's grad program, but it was a dying field and would have saddled me with over $100k in debt.  I loved doing it though.

I'd also love to have a research job.  I loved doing research design and execution and was pretty damn good at it (according to some professors and bosses).

One thing I've really been wanting to do lately is to create a non-profit that collaborates with local artists and building owners to link artists up with blank canvases (walls) and building/store owners and communities who would appreciate that artist's style.  Ideally I'd have an app where people could geotag walls so that they could be cataloged for research and a database of artists with art samples that could be shown to the owners.

Basically any job that challenges me artistically or intellectually.  I'm tired of jobs that are just plug and play that a chimp could do. 
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: cmadrid on Wed, 18 March 2015, 14:06:29
I stay at home with my son, he recently turned 6.. I'd kind of like another one.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: Findecanor on Wed, 18 March 2015, 16:24:26
product designer
I wouldn't mind having Jonny Ive's job. I wouldn't make as many hairbrained decisions ...
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Wed, 18 March 2015, 16:35:39
I wish I was a little bit taller
I wish I was a baller
I wish I had a six four impala

I wish I worked for a really cool engineering firm like Skunks Works, NASA, Space X, or some absurd R&D firm.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: zombimuncha on Wed, 18 March 2015, 17:21:23
I wish I could play trombone in Poncho Sanchez's band. Or maybe Eddie Palmieri.

Software developments fun too tho. And easier and pays better.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: Sygaldry on Wed, 18 March 2015, 17:48:09
My dream job:
(http://www.usborne.com/images/covers/eng/max_covers/87121.jpg)

I wish I was a little bit taller
I wish I was a baller
I wish I had a six four impala

I wish I worked for a really cool engineering firm like Skunks Works, NASA, Space X, or some absurd R&D firm.
Funny you say this because if I had stayed a mechanical engineering major during undergrad I might as well be at SpaceX right now... Three of my best friends from college (ME and AE majors) work there now  :'(
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: eth0s on Wed, 18 March 2015, 17:52:38
I wish I dint have to work at all.  So my dream job would be doing nothing all day.  But getting paid from my trust fund.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: suicidal_orange on Wed, 18 March 2015, 19:15:32
I'd like a job as a troubleshooter.  This would involve coming up with solutions for anything and everything, in random fields I know nothing about but can see big picture how someone with more knowledge could do it.  Most importantly I would never have to bother myself with the implementation of said solutions, or wait around for someone else to do so - I'd be off to think about the next interesting problem and leave them to it.

Currently I get to do a bit of this within the payroll department where I work, but I have to implement too.  And I have to train clueless people to use the solutions and "fix" them when they're doing it wrong for years to come...
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: vivalarevolución on Wed, 18 March 2015, 19:49:42
Morale of this thread:  the grass is always greener.

That's why I keep an awesome lawn.  My grass is the greenest, b*tches.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: derezzed on Wed, 18 March 2015, 20:26:40
Morale of this thread:  the grass is always greener.

That's why I keep an awesome lawn.  My grass is the greenest, b*tches.

But is it

[attach=1]
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: Novus on Wed, 18 March 2015, 20:27:52
Morale of this thread:  the grass is always greener.

That's why I keep an awesome lawn.  My grass is the greenest, b*tches.

How do you keep your grass green when it hibernates?
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Wed, 18 March 2015, 20:29:02


Funny you say this because if I had stayed a mechanical engineering major during undergrad I might as well be at SpaceX right now... Three of my best friends from college (ME and AE majors) work there now  :'(

HOLD ME SYGALDRY
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: C5Allroad on Wed, 18 March 2015, 20:59:20
Either a computer engineer or an automotive engineer at a shop or company like Hondata or ecutek. Wouldn't mind tuning cars and messing with the tunes and messing with the ECU.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: Art of Payce on Thu, 19 March 2015, 01:02:27
I miss doing photojournalism.  I go into Boston University's grad program, but it was a dying field and would have saddled me with over $100k in debt.  I loved doing it though.

I'd also love to have a research job.  I loved doing research design and execution and was pretty damn good at it (according to some professors and bosses).

One thing I've really been wanting to do lately is to create a non-profit that collaborates with local artists and building owners to link artists up with blank canvases (walls) and building/store owners and communities who would appreciate that artist's style.  Ideally I'd have an app where people could geotag walls so that they could be cataloged for research and a database of artists with art samples that could be shown to the owners.

First, I want to commend you for stepping out of the debt yoke. That's a triumph of common sense over the "follow your passion at any cost" craze seizing the generations today. Also, I really respect that you love research. I have a science background and I hated it. It would have been much better if I had a younger, more socially-oriented laboratory, but the high work load and solitude was depressing.

Your concept and app idea to connect artists with the community presents an interesting set of possibilities. I'd love to see it happen. Perhaps the trickiest part would be balancing convenience with quality. Maintaining a high standard of curated content requires knowledge, which comes from experts or consultants. Anyway...
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: nubbinator on Thu, 19 March 2015, 01:04:43
If I were to do it, I would be trying to work with the local contemporary art museum and a couple of the local art schools.  There are some pretty good ones around here, including an art high school.

I'm just glad that I should have all my loans paid off this year, all paid off within two years of starting work.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: Oobly on Thu, 19 March 2015, 03:37:28
I'd love to have the freedom to develop ideas / machines / gadgets for practically any field, with enough support (both financial and people) to help take them from prototype to product. Sort of a cross-discipline research and development thinktank of one. My mind is overactive and I've come up with concepts for all sorts of stuff I just don't have the time / funds / support staff to develop to completion. I'm good at coming up with the concept, developing it into a device and building a functional prototype for others to take further, if it's a product that has a market. I don't really want to work for any one company, since they're usually limited to a particular field.
BTW, matt3o has been looking for a partner (http://deskthority.net/off-topic-f10/partner-in-crime-wanted-t10103.html) for some (probably) keyboard-related endeavours.

Thanks for the heads-up, but I'm spending all my alloted keyboard-related time on my own keyboard projects right now...
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: domoaligato on Thu, 19 March 2015, 04:09:10
I wish I had the wealth to just retire at 34 years old and not worry about healthcare and bills.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: vivalarevolución on Thu, 19 March 2015, 08:32:35
Morale of this thread:  the grass is always greener.

That's why I keep an awesome lawn.  My grass is the greenest, b*tches.

How do you keep your grass green when it hibernates?


Spray paint.  I also shovel the snow off the grass in the winter so I can apply spray paint.

It's a tough task, but worth it.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: Jokrik on Thu, 19 March 2015, 10:35:43
chef....
since I enjoy cooking so much
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Thu, 19 March 2015, 12:34:10
I retract my previous statement and replace it with this one: I wish I was a CFO baller like jokrik.
Title: Re: what do you WISH you did for a living?
Post by: HoffmanMyster on Thu, 19 March 2015, 12:39:18
I wish I was a baller like jokrik.

+1